The "Diary"

[J. Beckert]

It's weak from an evidential standpoint, but it does show a close association with Booth. The fact they were seen together by so many people from the tavern to the Garrett's would bolster the diary's value of being damning to Herold.

As for this brave boy with me, who often prays (yes, before and since) with a true and sincere heart - was it crime in him? If so, why can he pray the same?

The before part of before and since I think is circumstantial, but to me it reads "before the assassination", showing he didn't just run into Booth outside Washington and become his hostage. He would have been hung either way, but that would not have been helpful and that's the only thing I saw in Booth's entries that would have been damaging to anyone else, aside from the very vague But its failure was owing to others, who did not strike for their country with a heart. That's a strong hint from Booth that there was a conspiracy.